Canadian soldier killed in attack by driver with links to radical Islam

Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman David Falls said Monday the suspect 'was known to Federal authorities' and 'authorities were concerned that he had become radicalized.'

Christinne Muschi/Reuters

A Surete du Quebec (SQ) officer investigates an overturned vehicle in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec October 20. Two Canadian soldiers were injured in a hit-and-run in the province of Quebec on Monday by a male driver who was later shot by police officers, said a spokesman for the Surete du Quebec, the provincial police force.

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October 21, 2014

By Benjamin Shingler and Rob GilliesAssociated Press

SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU, Quebec

One of two Canadian soldiers hit by a car in a city near Montreal has died and authorities are examining whether the driver's links to radical Islam had spurred the attack. Neighbors said he was a recent convert.

Quebec provincial police spokeswoman Genevieve Bruno confirmed Tuesday one of the two soldiers died from his injuries. The other soldier's injuries were less serious.

The soldier's name was not released at the request of the family.

The suspect, Martin Couture Rouleau, 25, was shot by police following a car chase and later died.

An official familiar with the case confirmed the suspect's name and that he had fallen under the influence of radical Islam. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the case.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman David Falls said Monday the suspect "was known to Federal authorities" and "authorities were concerned that he had become radicalized."

Police declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.

There was no answer at Rouleau's single story white brick home in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, on Tuesday morning, and no sign of police.

Neighbor Daniel Fortin said he had known Rouleau, who lived with his father, since he was a child.

Fortin said over the past year or so, Rouleau grew out his beard and began wearing loose-fitting Muslim clothing but that he never felt threatened by him.

Fortin said Roleau's father was worried as he became increasingly radicalized and "tried everything," to help him.

Another neighbor, who didn't want to be named, said she didn't know the family well but saw police visit the home on more than one occasion over the past few months.

Quebec provincial police Lt. Michel Brunet said Monday the suspect fled the scene of the attack and was pursued by police for about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) before he lost control of the car, which rolled over several times. Police shot him after he exited the car.

Brunet said they found a knife on the ground but he could not say if the suspect had it in his hand when police opened. Television images showed a large knife in the grass near the flipped-over car.

Brunet would not say if the soldiers were wearing uniforms at the time they were struck.

Harper said earlier Monday in Parliament that he was aware of the reports and called them "extremely troubling."

"First and foremost our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families; we're closely monitoring the situation and obviously we will make available all of the resources of the federal government," Harper said.

The case is similar to one in London last year in which an al-Qaida-inspired extremist and another man ran over a soldier with a car before hacking the off-duty soldier to death.

Images of Michael Adebolajo, 29, holding a butcher knife and cleaver with bloodied hands in the moments after the May 2013 killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby shocked people around the world and sparked fears of Islamist terrorism in Britain.

The Islamic State group has urged supporters to carry out attacks against Western countries, including Canada, that are participating in the U.S.-led coalition fighting the militants who have taken over large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria. It was not known whether the suspect in the Quebec attack had any ties to Islamic militant groups.

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